Chapter 22
The unguided rain splattered onto the cold pavement as Mike quickened his pace. He trampled through the near empty streets alone and wondered what Li Ann was doing at the moment. He had decided to go off to find Dahye. He didn’t know how he would help her, but he had to find her before Hwanhee and Ji Yun did. Suddenly he paused when he saw the train loading. Where was Li Ann? She was the only person he was worried about. Now that he got the address of his niece, surely Hwanhee would be after her as well as Andy.
Hesitating, and thinking twice, Mike took a deep breath and turned around. He should have thought of her before leaving. He had left her when she fell asleep in her bed, thinking that she would be safe, but neither Hwanhee nor Andy was on his mind. Not until now.
Junjin sniffed back the running nose and entered Hyesung’s masquerade. People were standing around wearing expensive suits and cocktail dresses that were embroidered with diamonds. Junjin scooted past several people who knew him. They welcomed him with warm welcomes, but his main business here was with Shin Hyesung.
“Hey, I’m here to see Hyesung,” Junjin informed the security guard standing in front of a large doorway. The security guard nodded and allowed Junjin to enter.
“Thanks,” Junjin said quietly as he entered into the large room where it was highly more sophisticated than the party outside. There were masseuses dressed in thin clothes and tanks full of rattle snakes. Junjin’s face grew disgusted once he saw the reptiles in those tanks. He noticed a few men standing around, but then spotted his main target.
Hyesung sat with his close associates, engaged in a conversation. Hyesung’s eyes spotted Junjin and excused himself from his group of friends. Hyesung walked over to Junjin with a mellow attitude.
“Junjin! So glad you could make it! Have a seat.” In the middle of that room were large comfortable couches and a coffee table in the middle, all on top of an ancient rug from China that was hand sewn. Junjin was quite impressed with Hyesung’s lifestyle.
“So Junjin, what have you got so far?” Hyesung asked as he sipped his red wine. Junjin bit his lips and twiddled his hands nervously.
“I haven’t gotten anything yet,” Junjin lied as he perked up more confidence.
“Really?” Hyesung set down his glass and looked at his watch.
“Yeah. I’ll get it soon. The codes to the locker are still locked, so I’m waiting for the key,” Junjin explained.
“Very well. I have plenty of time on my hands, speaking of which I’m late for my meeting. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you later.” Hyesung stood up and straightened his shirt. Junjin arched his neck back and forth.
“I should get going too,” Junjin said as he stood up.
“No, don’t do that. You should stay and enjoy the party. Do you want to relax first?” Hyesung asked noticing the tension in his muscles. He waved at a young masseuse to come over. The young and tall girl with light brown tanned skin looked over. She had brown sugar wavy hair and was dressed in a red camisole top and a little over the knee length skirt that had a split down the side up to her thigh. Her pretty oval face was soft and flawless and her large eyes twinkled as she approached Junjin.
“Yes sir?” She asked Hyesung as she came up to him.
“Give Mr. Park a massage. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Junjin, this is Miss Kim Sianna. She’s an expert. Enjoy,” Hyesung slyly smiled as he patted Junjin’s shoulders and walked off.
“Hello Mr. Park,” Sianna smiled seductively as she held out her hand.
“Hello,” Junjin replied as he took her hand and kissed it. She blushed bowed.
“If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to a more private room.” She led him to a dark room with maroon walls. Soft music played in the background as Junjin looked around curiously. A messaging table was set in the center, and next to it were bottles of body oils that laid around in fancy little potion like glasses.
“Nice room,” Junjin commented as he kept his eyes looking all over, trying to avoid her. She was extremely attractive and sexy to him.
“Take off your shirt if you like,” she said as she poured out some oil onto her palm. Junjin started stripping off his top. Sianna’s eyes gazed over his broad shoulders and hard abs. She looked away and walked over to the other side of the table. He laid down chest first and relaxed his arms. Her slender fingers ran over his shoulder blades and down his spine. She started messaging him as his body seemed to relax a little.
“So...where are you from?” Junjin asked.
“What do you mean Mr. Park?” Her voice was soft and melody like to his ears. He felt he was going to fall in love.
“Well, you don’t look like you’re Korean,” Junjin smiled to himself.
“I’m half Caucasian, one forth Japanese, and the rest is Korean,” she giggled.
“What?” Junjin said in a confused tone. She continued to giggle as she message his shoulders.
“My father is Korean and Japanese, and my mother is Caucasian,” Sianna explained.
“Oh, no wonder your name is so different...” Junjin implied with understanding.
“That’s not my real name,” Sianna said quietly. Junjin tensed up under her. He looked over his shoulders and into her brown eyes. He looked at her questioningly.
“May I know?” Junjin smiled mischievously.
“Mr. Park, I’m afraid that is not allowed,” Sianna joked. She continued to massage his shoulders, then moved down to his lower back.
“Why not?” Junjin asked laying his cheek back down again. He felt Sianna’s leg move over his back as she suddenly sat on top of him, on his back. He glanced over and saw her exposed thigh that showed through the split on her skirt. She leaned down until she was pressed onto his back.
“Because I’ll have to kill you,” Sianna whispered quietly into his ears. He smiled at her boldness. He relaxed some more as he felt Sianna’s hands run up and down his back.
“I don’t care. Tell me,” Junjin continued. His voice was drowning, as he felt tiresome overcome him. She smiled to herself, feeling a bit guilty.
“Relax Mr. Park,” Sianna said as she felt him slowly drifting off.
“Call me Junjin,” he yawned back. He closed his eyes and in a matter of minutes, was asleep. The last thing he remembered hearing was a soft voice whispering to his ear.
“My name is Mary.”
He opened his eyes. He is still in the same room with dark red walls and soft music. He slowly rose from the table and looked around. He saw his jacket and shirt piled on a chair nearby. Junjin stood up and yawned. He pulled on his black sleeveless shirt and picked up his jacket. An odd feeling came over Junjin as he suddenly searched the pockets of his jacket. His wallet, cell phone and the number were all missing.
“Sh!t! No, damn,” Junjin muttered as he looked around everywhere in that room for his items. All the bottles were gone, and so was the girl. That girl. He remembered. It must have been her. He shouldn’t have trusted her that easily. Such a poisonous rose she is. He cursed himself out and grew more pissed by the moment. Junjin slipped into his jacket and stormed out. Oddly, the masquerade was over. There were no rattlesnakes in the large tanks, no rich men in sophisticated suits or beautiful women in cocktail dresses. And most significantly, there was no Shin Hyesung or masseuses.
Li Ann sat in front of the television screen watching an engaged mellifluous speech by a politician when she heard a knock on her door. She got up to go open the door, only to find a bundle of pink roses at her footstep. They were slightly wet from the rain, but still neatly wrapped in cellophane. She picked them up and read the note. It was from Andy. She rolled her head back and closed the door. Coming back into the kitchen, Li Ann tossed the roses into the trash can and opened the refrigerator to find something to eat.
She walked over to the dining room and strode out back into the living room. She felt as melancholy as the dim living room itself. The quiet room made up a musical composition like a medley as she listened to the rain pour from outside. She stood quietly still, listening to the splatters, to the wind, the footsteps.
“Mike?” She turned her head to the side to see Mike standing there, with sorry written all over his face. Her face lightened up a bit as a weak smile appeared.
“Li Ann...” He walked up closer to her. There had seemed to be melanism in his face as he too, smiled back.
“Where did you go?” She tried to sound as casual as she could, as if nothing ever happened between them.
“Just to finish some business,” Mike lied. He couldn’t look her in the eye. She stepped back, letting the shadow from the living room cover her face. He stepped in closer to the light showing from the kitchen.
“Why are you all alone in the dark like this Li Ann? I worried about you a lot,” Mike stated as he looked down to the glossy wooden floor.
“Mike...do you like me?” she asked with her eyes fixed on him. He looked up with a confused look on his face. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat and nodded slowly.
“I like you too,” Li Ann said quietly. She was being blunt and open with him. They had to write this down and figure out what they needed to do. She knew far off that he was a ghost, and she was human, but her feelings were real this time.
“We can’t be together,” Mike choked out quietly as he looked away, both hands in his pant pockets. Li Ann didn’t reply. She didn’t know how to respond to that. It was the truth, and it won’t change.
“If only I was still alive,” Mike faked on a small smile to try and cheer her up. The moment grew quieter until near silence.
“In that case, we would not have met,” Li Ann replied. Her emotion and tone of voice were still the same, in doubt and pain. He searched her blank face for any expression of what she was thinking, but he found none.
“Li Ann...I’m sorry,” Mike whispered.
“Don’t be. It’s okay Mike. I still want to help you out though.” It was now Li Ann’s turn to cheer him up.
“You really do?” Mike asked not surprised. She nodded.
“Will you go to Pusan with me?” He thought it would be a good idea to keep her safe if she went with him, rather than stay here. At least he could keep a good look out for her. Li Ann was always so uncaring of who was around her. He felt he needed and owed her to protect her.
“To find your niece?” Li Ann asked.
“Yes,” Mike answered in his serious tone. Li Ann smiled. The echoing of her brother’s footsteps approached the doors. Li Ann turned startled and aware that her brother was home.
“I’ll ask him for the car,” Li Ann stated as she moved from her spot towards the door.
“Don’t,” Mike stopped her. “We’ll take a bus.” The look in his eyes assured her that he knew what he was doing. She nodded obediently and agreed.
“Man, it’s raining like no tomorrow,” Dongwan muttered as he closed his umbrella. He was wet from head to toe, with water droplets dripping off the tips of his hair.
“I know oppa. How was your day?” Li Ann asked brightly as she took his suitcase.
“I got into traffic jam, and I dropped my coffee all over myself,” Dongwan said recalling his day. “How was yours? Didn’t you go to class?”
“No, there was no class today. My day was gloomy. Um, oppa, I’m going to take a trip to Pusan this weekend,” Li Ann said.
“What?” Dongwan stopped taking of his jacket and looked at her with a frustrated expression.
“I’m going to visit a patient down there oppa. I’ll be back soon. Is that okay?” Li Ann asked.
“A patient? Who?” Dongwan asked as he hung up his jacket.
“A girl. She needs my help, so I need to go down there,” Li Ann answered, feeling not so guilty because she told half of the truth.
“Who are you going with?” Dongwan asked.
“Myself.”
“In this weather?” Dongwan’s face was in disbelief. She nodded and smiled. His face slowly softened as the thought about it.
“Well, if you need my car–...”
“I’m taking the bus,” Li Ann cut in quickly. Dongwan studied her face for a minute, then nodded. She smiled excitedly and hugged him.
“Don’t you have to go to work?” He asked one last time in protest.
“My work is in Pusan!” Li Ann shouted back as she jumped upstairs to her room.
Dongwan smiled at Li Ann’s childish attitude and carried his suitcase into the kitchen. He noticed the bouquet of roses in the trash can and picked up the note in between them. He read Andy’s name and tried to recall who Andy was. Not caring much, he tossed the note back into the trash can and continued on his way.
[To be Cont]
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